For the past year I have been using Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ at New Morning Church (newmorningchurch.com). I’ll teach the final lesson in just a couple of weeks and I plan on beginning the 48-lesson series again starting in January. While its merits are numerous, I highly recommend it you and your church based on following three.

First, this curriculum confronts error by emphasizing biblical truth. This is huge for me, especially given the context in which I minister. While there may be times when it’s necessary to name names, as pastors we have to be careful not to alienate those in our audience from the truth they need. I have often said that if someone gets upset because of my preaching or teaching, I want it to be because of the biblical truth they were confronted with and not because of the manner in which I presented it. This series allows me to do just that. In matter of weeks it covers the fact that the Bible is inerrant, that God is a Spirit, that matter is not eternal, and that because of Adam each of us are born with a sin nature. As the lessons progress, the Trinity, salvation by faith alone, the deity of Jesus, and the reality of Heaven and Hell are discussed at length. Each of these doctrines are rejected by the majority of Provo’s population. Yet it has been amazing to watch people think through them as they’re introduced from a solely biblical perspective.

Second, this curriculum stresses the unity of the entire Bible. The error mentioned above could be avoided by understanding that the Bible must be taken as a collective whole. In fact, my mantra over the past year has been context, context, context. That’s why I love what the author says in the introductory material:

The majority of Christian teaching emphasizes individual doctrines of the Bible rather than presenting the Bible as one complete, interdependent revelation of God. Heresies, misinterpretation, overemphasis of certain Scriptures, and denominationalism can, in most cases, be traced to this lack of chronological and panoramic Bible teaching.

As you teach chronologically through the Bible, allowing the biblical narrative and major themes to unfold naturally, your audience will see that unity for themselves.

Third, this curriculum encourages interaction. While this is important for developing community within your church, it also helps you gauge comprehension. I want to make sure people understand the significance of the Bible in their own lives. For that purpose each lesson begins with four or five review questions from the previous week. I am all about review, even taking time to recap the previous week’s sermon before preaching, and I enjoy being able to point back to something that has already been preached or taught. Furthermore, each lesson uses numerous Bible passages. Participants are encouraged to read them out loud for the group, seldom more than a couple verses at a time. Additional questions are asked throughout each lesson and are meant to be discussed as a group based on the verses that have been read. Such interaction around the Bible is invaluable for a church at any stage.

If you have never checked out this particular resource, again, I highly suggest that you do. I’ve not been disappointed; I know you won’t be either.

Jun 22, 2012, 10:44 AM

Alicia Williams (Guest)

Makes everything much clearer and works with kids learning level.

Disclaimer: I haven't used the newest edition - only the curriculum from two years ago.
I loved that this curriculum gives kids facts and focuses on who God is not on who the kids should be. It gives children an understanding of why it is important to do the right thing, without putting the emphasis on them. I am so excited about the teaching aspect of it rather than just Bible stories and should-dos that I could not rate it less than a 'great'.
I also love how it helps my students and I to think about who God is and the different stuff that He does which I'd never really thought about at such a level before reading the curriculum.
However, I found that the curriculum dragged the material out too long, resulting in a lot of repetition which bored my students and gave them an I-already-know-this attitude. I am using it again, but going through and re-arranging (to make it more chronological in those early lessons), condensing, and rewriting it a bit in order to shorten and enliven the curriculum - my students are loving it and are very interested.

From NTMbooks.com Staff: We recommend that the Childrens version of Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ be used for children up to age 10.

Feb 17, 2011, 6:23 PM

Penny (Guest)

Great for seekers and new believers

This study started in a small women's group. It is now being taught in our Adult SS class. All who are taking it are learning something new whether a new believer or mature believer. Would recommend to anyone. Principles learned can be passed on to children.

Jan 13, 2011, 11:50 AM

Hope Now (Guest)

Excellent Material

This is first class curriculum. It is packaged nicely and the content is clear for the teacher and the learner. I hope all of the Firm Foundation modules can be updated like this one. We are using this with inner city gang members and it is just what we've been looking for. Thank you!

Jul 9, 2010, 11:14 AM

Thomas (Guest)

Very nicely put together

This material if very well thought out and put together. We have been using this material since the first of the year when we implemented it in all of our Bible Fellowship classes, from children to senior adults. Turn out and continued interest in this study has been constant.

May 4, 2010, 10:06 AM

Judi Perez - LRI (Guest)

Greatly improved!

I agree with other reviewers that the English new material for adults is much easier to teach from. I have used the original format several times. We use new materials in the US for a Filipino Sunday School and a "Spanglish" home Bible Study. It would be helpful to have the Power Point slide numbers/changes included in the teachers manual.

Feb 8, 2010, 12:41 PM

joshua mcclain (Guest)

Awesome Curriculum! Pleasant ordering & shipping experience!

very interactive! We use it in our teens sunday school.
Chrono Approach is best for a "Firm Foundation"!! This material is second to none i have seen.

Oct 7, 2009, 2:34 AM

Bill Bassett- Five Rivers Christian Fellowship (Guest)

Great improvements on an already great curriculum

The new format is more interactive between teacher and students, and easy to use. Bill switched to the new set after already beginning a series of lessons with the old, and the transition was seamless. It's convenient to have individual volumes instead of one large one; we do wish it was spiral bound so it could lay out flat. The new visual aids are wonderful! The student workbook is vastly improved and a valuable resource for review and contemplation of the truths presented in each lesson. We have not examined the resources on the disc yet.

Aug 18, 2009, 8:36 AM

geminale (Guest)

Well worth the wait and the price

Glad to see the set finally arrive. I loved the original Creation to Christ, and the revision makes it so much easier to teach and learn. All the extras now included make it worth the increase in price as well. Highly recommended!

Aug 10, 2009, 11:08 AM

Nancy (Guest)

Very well laid out for teachers

I love the questions/answers. Questions are great but I have a hard time knowing what to ask.